Ever see a job description and think that it was made specifically for you?
You apply, don’t get a response and wonder why.

Ever interview for a job and leave thinking it went perfectly?
You receive an email notifying you the company went with another candidate.  Or worse, you never hear back from them at all!

You’re definitely not alone.  And you’re definitely not the only one who is frustrated because of it. So in an attempt to give a new perspective on this issue, here are some reasons why you should stop thinking a job description is perfect for you:

The job description is more than likely a generic one.
-This means that the employer had to put something together to generate applicants and either pulled an old description from a previous/similar position, or threw something together that did not have complete information.  When I say complete information, I mean either skill sets that aren’t required but “preferred”, or personality traits that are important to the hiring manager, department or company culture.

The job description changed during the search but not on the website.
-Sometimes when you think you know what you want, you change your mind.  Companies do this frequently during employee searches.  As the interview process moves forward, sometimes the needs of the business change.  Therefore, so do the requirements or desired skills.  No one is perfect and sometimes the recruiter may forget to update the job description.

You have all the necessary experience and skills to do the job, but maybe not the industry experience.
-Just because you can do the job, doesn’t mean you’re perfect for it.  Being familiar with a particular industry is very important to a business.  You may be perfectly capable of learning and getting familiar with it, but most likely, there is another candidate who already is.  Try to target jobs within industries you’ve already worked in.  If you’re trying to transition out of an industry, start networking at industry-specific events/seminars/conferences.  Also, volunteer for an organization within the industry you are targeting.

The personality fit may not be there.
-This is very important to many companies and it should be important to you as well!  There are many job seekers who are employed that are unhappy with their current position.  The top reasons I’ve heard lately is that there is a negative attitude in the office due to structural changes or they have an ethical conflict with their current manager.  These reasons are making some people quit their jobs altogether!

They think you’re boring.
-It’s very important to be professional and show a potential employer that you’re serious about your career.  But if there isn’t anything about you that stands out, you’re not the first person on their mind.  Make an effort to express something unique about yourself.  Whether it be your awesome and witty personality, or your ability to tell a story about work and make it sound fun… Show your personality a little and let them get to know who you are.  Make yourself memorable.

Times are tough.  That is an incredibly huge understatement.  But they are getting better and will continue to do so!  The perfect job for you does exist.

To quote Winston Churchill, “never, never, never give up”.

Have you had one of these experiences?  Did you get honest feedback?  Please share!

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